19.01.2023 - Dorothea Wierer rejoices after winning on opening day in Antholz
The World Cup week at the Südtirol Arena in Antholz kicked off on Thursday with the women's 7.5 km sprint.
In front of more than 10,000 enthusiastic spectators, local hero Dorothea Wierer claimed her 14th World Cup victory. After a nail-biting finish, she won by just 2.8 seconds ahead of France's Chloe Chevalier. Sweden's Elvira Öberg came in third.
During the opening of this year's World Cup stage, the biathletes once again delivered impressive performances at the Antholz Südtirol Arena - with Dorothea Wierer leading the way. The local athlete was keen to make a statement on her home track, and indeed she did just that! Right from the start, the 32-year-old from Niederrasen turned in a fantastic performance. The overall World Cup winner from 2019 and 2020 was clean at the shooting range, performed very well on the course and finally crossed the finish line in first place. This is the 14th World Cup victory for the extraordinary athlete from the Pustertal valley, her fifth in Antholz (10th podium finish). She previously won the mass start at the Südtirol Arena last year and the pursuit in 2019. She also won gold in the individual and pursuit events at the World Cup three years ago. Today, "Doro" celebrated her first victory of the season, exactly one year after her triumph here in the mass start.
Wierer's strongest opponent was Chloe Chevalier. The French athlete, who started with the high number of 60, was 3.4 seconds ahead of Wierer before the last kilometre, but in the end she could not hold on. Nevertheless, she finished a sensational second place, just 2.8 seconds behind. Chevalier's best result in the World Cup so far was an eighth place finish in an individual race. Today in Antholz she made it to the podium for the first time. Third-place finisher Elvira Öberg also made no mistakes twice, but was 8.7 seconds slower than the South Tyrolean superstar. Trailing the young Swede, Norway's Marte Olsbu Roeiseland came in fourth and ex-cross-country skier Anamarija Lampic from Slovenia was fifth. Following them were sprint leader Denise Herrmann-Wick and her German teammate 'Janina Hettich-Walz. Overall World Cup leader Julia Simon from France had to settle for 9th place.
Vittozzi just out of the top ten
At the Antholz opening event, Lisa Vittozzi, third overall in the World Cup rankings, just missed the chance to climb into the top ten after finishing 13th. Samuela Comola was 25th, whilst Hannah Auchentaller and Rebecca Passler from Antholz finished 42nd and 54th after two and three misses respectively.
The World Cup schedule will continue on Friday at the Südtirol Arena with the men's sprint race. The start is also scheduled for 2:30 pm.
Biathlon World Cup in Antholz (ITA):
Women’s Sprint 7.5 km
1. Dorothea Wierer (ITA/Rasen) 20:59.7 minutes (0 misses)
2. Chloe Chevalier (FRA) +2.8 (0)
3. Elvira Öberg (SWE) +8.7 (0)
4. Marte Olsbu Roeiseland (NOR) +14.7 (1)
5. Anamarija Lampic (SLO) +18.4 (2)
6. Denise Herrmann-Wick (GER) +23.6 (2)
7. Janina Hettich-Walz (GER) +23.6 (0)
8. Caroline Colombo (FRA) +26.5 (1)
9. Julia Simon (FRA) +26.7 (2)
10. Lou Jeanmonnot (FRA) +28.9 (1)
13. Lisa Vittozzi (ITA) +45.2 (2)
25. Samuela Comola (ITA) +1:21.0 (1)
42. Hannah Auchentaller (ITA/Antholz) +1:45.7 (2)
54. Rebecca Passler (ITA/Antholz) +2:14.1 (3)
During the opening of this year's World Cup stage, the biathletes once again delivered impressive performances at the Antholz Südtirol Arena - with Dorothea Wierer leading the way. The local athlete was keen to make a statement on her home track, and indeed she did just that! Right from the start, the 32-year-old from Niederrasen turned in a fantastic performance. The overall World Cup winner from 2019 and 2020 was clean at the shooting range, performed very well on the course and finally crossed the finish line in first place. This is the 14th World Cup victory for the extraordinary athlete from the Pustertal valley, her fifth in Antholz (10th podium finish). She previously won the mass start at the Südtirol Arena last year and the pursuit in 2019. She also won gold in the individual and pursuit events at the World Cup three years ago. Today, "Doro" celebrated her first victory of the season, exactly one year after her triumph here in the mass start.
Wierer's strongest opponent was Chloe Chevalier. The French athlete, who started with the high number of 60, was 3.4 seconds ahead of Wierer before the last kilometre, but in the end she could not hold on. Nevertheless, she finished a sensational second place, just 2.8 seconds behind. Chevalier's best result in the World Cup so far was an eighth place finish in an individual race. Today in Antholz she made it to the podium for the first time. Third-place finisher Elvira Öberg also made no mistakes twice, but was 8.7 seconds slower than the South Tyrolean superstar. Trailing the young Swede, Norway's Marte Olsbu Roeiseland came in fourth and ex-cross-country skier Anamarija Lampic from Slovenia was fifth. Following them were sprint leader Denise Herrmann-Wick and her German teammate 'Janina Hettich-Walz. Overall World Cup leader Julia Simon from France had to settle for 9th place.
Vittozzi just out of the top ten
At the Antholz opening event, Lisa Vittozzi, third overall in the World Cup rankings, just missed the chance to climb into the top ten after finishing 13th. Samuela Comola was 25th, whilst Hannah Auchentaller and Rebecca Passler from Antholz finished 42nd and 54th after two and three misses respectively.
The World Cup schedule will continue on Friday at the Südtirol Arena with the men's sprint race. The start is also scheduled for 2:30 pm.
Biathlon World Cup in Antholz (ITA):
Women’s Sprint 7.5 km
1. Dorothea Wierer (ITA/Rasen) 20:59.7 minutes (0 misses)
2. Chloe Chevalier (FRA) +2.8 (0)
3. Elvira Öberg (SWE) +8.7 (0)
4. Marte Olsbu Roeiseland (NOR) +14.7 (1)
5. Anamarija Lampic (SLO) +18.4 (2)
6. Denise Herrmann-Wick (GER) +23.6 (2)
7. Janina Hettich-Walz (GER) +23.6 (0)
8. Caroline Colombo (FRA) +26.5 (1)
9. Julia Simon (FRA) +26.7 (2)
10. Lou Jeanmonnot (FRA) +28.9 (1)
13. Lisa Vittozzi (ITA) +45.2 (2)
25. Samuela Comola (ITA) +1:21.0 (1)
42. Hannah Auchentaller (ITA/Antholz) +1:45.7 (2)
54. Rebecca Passler (ITA/Antholz) +2:14.1 (3)
